Ai… What to do if your bike tire suddenly is deflated? You can take your bike to the bike shop or you can easily fix it yourself. We’ll explain the five basic steps to help you back on the road again!

A flat bike tire can always happen to you. For example, if you have cycled through something sharp or because the tire is simply worn out. Luckily, it is easy to fix by yourself! Need extra instructions?

• Get a bike repair set
  In the Netherlands, bike tire repair kits can be purchased at supermarkets and online stores such as bol.com. These repair kits contain everything you need to fix your bike tire:
  • Plastic tire levers
  • Sanding paper
  • Rubber solution glue
  • Several tube patches
    
    
• Remove the inner tube
  • First, turn your bike upside down.
  • Remove the plastic dust cap of the tire valve and press it down to deflate your bike tire completely.
  • Use the plastic tire levers from the bike repair set to get the tire off the wheel. Carefully place the tire levers between the wheel and the tire. Thanks to the handy notch, you can attach two levers against the spokes, while using the third lever to more easily detach the rest of the tire.
  • Once the tire is free, you can push back the valve, and you can take out the inflatable tube from beneath the tire.
    
    
• Find the cause of the flat
  You don’t have to replace the tube immediately. Carefully inspect the tire and tube for punctures. It can be helpful to put the tube in a bucket full of water and look for any bubbles. Mark the damaged area with a pen, so you can easily find it again.
  
  If the tube has a massive crack or puncture or if the valve is cracked, you should replace the entire tube. You can just buy one at the bike shop, HEMA, or online bike stores such as Mantel. Keep in mind to buy the right size! You find the right dimensions on the tire. Tip: You don’t have to remove the tire completely from the wheel. You just forward the tube through the water. Saves you a lot of time.
  
  
• Repair the inner tube
  • Clean and dry the damaged spot.
  • Rough up the surface with sandpaper. This way, the glue will stick better.
  • Spread the glue out with your finger and wait a couple of minutes. Waiting for a moment ensures that the glue sticks better.
  • Apply the tube patch and hold it in place with pressure. Finally, remove the plastic sheet from the patch.
    
    
• Put the inner tube back
  • Partially inflate your repaired tube to give it a bit more shape and to make sure the damaged spot has been fixed.
  • First, put the valve back through the valve hole in the wheel. Then, you can put the tube back into the tire. Make sure it is placed back in the middle of the wheel.
  • Inflate the tube completely and put back the plastic dust cap of the tire valve.